Artist William Challoner's oil painting of the 1880s shows two Macheca Line steamers meeting in the harbor at Belize.

New Orleans of the late 19th Century hosted three Macheca shipping and importing businesses. The first was started by Maltese immigrant Joseph Macheca. His stepson, Joseph P. Macheca, was an early partner in the business. Joseph's two sons, John and Michael, later joined. Joseph P. Macheca went on to start his own business, J.P. Macheca & Co. John and Michael later formed the Macheca Brothers firm, which gave birth to the New Orleans-Belize Royal Mail and Central American Steamship Company.
As family relationships changed, so did the relationships of the apparently rival companies. Assets appear to have been shifted between the firms, particularly when J.P. Macheca & Co. failed in 1883. The Macheca Bros. firm eventually sold its shipping assets to United Fruit.
Known details of the ships of the Macheca Lines are shown below. Sections with a yellowish background relate to ships sailing for J.P. Macheca & Co. Those with a blue background relate to Macheca Brothers. Green indicates a possible overlap. Gray indicates ships in which the Machecas might have had a minor interest.

Carried half-brothers Joseph P. and Michael Macheca, along with Detective Robert A. Pinkerton and three businessmen, from Belize to New Orleans in March 1890. Used as military transport in Spanish-American War 1898.

1065

1880-1900

Yes

Charles W. Clark 1891. Capt. Rivera 1894.

Built in 1880.

To United Fruit 1899. By 1905 to Spreckels Line of San Francisco.

Clearwater

Steamer

Brought insurgents out of Cuba 1896.

1467

1884-1898

Yes

Capt. MacFarlane 1894.

Built in 1884.

To United Fruit 1899.

Franklin

Steamer

Long ran fruit between Bluefields, Nicaragua, and NYC.

2200+

?-1891

Wrecked Aug. 25, 1891, on St. Andrews Island off Nicaragua coast on first trip taking fruit to New Orleans.

Macgregor

Steamer

English ship chartered by Macheca Bros. Manufactured with steel hull.

315 ft

32 ft

1889

Yes

Capt. Miller 1889

Built in spring 1888 in Belfast, Ireland.

Wrecked. Struck a reef south side of Ascension Bay on Dec. 30, 1889. Crew, passengers and mail were saved, taken to Cornwell Island, transported back to New Orleans aboard Wanderer. Cargo thrown overboard in vain effort to lighten the ship and free her from reef. Valued at $125,000 to $130,000, the ship was reportedly insured for $40,000.

Newspaper articles mentioning Macheca Lines

DATE

SOURCE

HEADLINE: INFO

Nov. 24, 1877

Daily Kennebec (Maine) Journal

Marine Notes: "The new clipper schooner Joseph P. Macheca, which arrived at Portland the 22d inst., was built by the Jewell Brothers of Bath, and is one of the strongest and best built vessels that has yet come from a Maine shipyard. She is designed for the West India fruit business, and the best material has been used in her construction. The cabin is neatly finished in walnut and ash, and her appearance throughout is very fine. She is one hundred and seventy tons carpenter's measure, about one hundred and twenty five tons register, and will spread twenty five hundred yards of canvass, breadth of beam twenty five feet, hold eight feet and eight inches, keel eighty eight and one half feet, and one hundred and two feet over all. She is owned by Amos Cushing, Capt. S.A. Woodbury (who commands her, Jordan & Blake, J. Conley & Co., and Thomas Laughlin & Son of Portland, and Joseph P. Macheca of New Orleans for whom she is named."

Jan. 16, 1879

Kingston (Jamaica) Daily Gleaner

L.C. Mansfield, mate of the schooner Macheca, of Portland, Me., was accidentally kicked overboard, near Turk's Island, and drowned."

Oct. 9, 1882

New York Times, p. 1

The Wrecked Steamer Mallard: Capt. Peter W. Evans of the Macheca Line steamer Wanderer docks at Calliope Street, New Orleans, with a portion of the officers and crew of the Mallard. The Mallard struck a reef 85 miles from Belize. All aboard were saved and transported to Belize, where some embarked on the Wanderer for the trip back to New Orleans.

Sept. 13, 1883

Chester (PA) Times, p. 3

Gorringe's New Contract: New Orleans and Belize Royal Mail Steamship Co. contracts for construction of iron steamship, 1000 tons, 210 ft long, 35 ft abeam and 20 ft depth of hold. To be used in passenger and mail service between New Orleans and Honduras. Is to be provided with inverted cylinder high-pressure engines, steam steering, electric bells, double-bottom and water-tight compartments.

May 24, 1885

New York Times

The Kidnaped Boys: Leonard Mueller, one of the owners of the Elia Knight, commented on accusations that his ship transported kidnaped boys from New Orleans to Poerto Barrios, Honduras, to work on construction projects there. The passengers were said to have been poorly fed and uncared for on their involuntary voyage. Mueller said passenger conditions were the responsibility of the contracting company, Chaff & Co., which failed before paying Mueller. Mueller also noted that three gangs of men were transported by Elia Knight, with the rest carried on the Macheca Line. Macheca also was unpaid for the service.

May 25, 1885

Kingston (Jamaica) Daily Gleaner

"Where that new steamer is that Messrs. Macheca Bros. were going to put on between here and New Orleans as soon a quarantine was removed?"

Aug. 15, 1885

New York Times, p. 2

War Material for Honduras: Steamer Kate Carroll departed New Orleans for Belize with a shipment of 100 cases of Remington rifles and 100 cases of cartridges for the government of Honduras.

Dec. 6, 1886

The Morning Oregonian

Shipping Intelligence: On Nov. 18, John Macheca and others of New Orleans sold the iron steamship Kate Carroll to T. Egenton Hogg. Kate Carroll built in Wilmington in 1883 by Hanlan & Hollingsworth Co. for D.T. Sullivan of Pensacola, FL. She was 200 ft. long, 34 ft abeam with 17ft depth of hold. The 610.67 ton ship had four bulkheads, water ballast compartments and compound engines. After sale, she was fitted with additional passenger accommodations. Mastered by Capt. J. McIntosh of Ward's Cuban Line.

May 13, 1887

New York Times, p. 1

The Steamer Gulnare Sunk: Wrecked with full load of bananas 12 miles from Ruatan on May 5. Built in Glasgow, Gulnare had been used on arctic expedition. No lives lost, but loss of hull valued at $16,000 and cargo valued at $5,000.

June 29, 1887

New York Times, p. 5

A Steamship's Mishaps: Capt. Carroll of Foxhall reported that his ship had repeated difficulties on its last voyage. The steamer ran aground on Colorado Reef off San Antonio on June 13. After remaining there for 40 hours, the cargo - sacks of grain, other foodstuffs - was jettisoned and the ship was floated. On the return voyage with a cargo of fruit, the ship struck Morrison's Key near Cape Gracias. Half the cargo needed to be ejected to get Foxhall floated again.

A steamship overdue: Macgregor is missing. She sailed Dec. 27 for Puerto Cortez with a load of lumber and was due to return Jan. 7.

Jan. 12, 1889

New York Times, p. 1

The steamer Macgregor wrecked: Reports that the steamship struck a reef on the south side of Ascension Bay. Vessel and cargo lost, but crew, passengers, mails and valuables saved. "The Macgregor was an English steamer, under charter to Macheca Brothers. She had a steel hull and was well fitted, and was valued at about $130,000."

Jan. 16, 1889

New York Times, p. 1

The Macgregor crew safe: Macgregor crew returned to New Orleans aboard steamship Wanderer. Crew and passengers had been taken from the disabled Macgregor to Cornwell Island. Macgregor's cargo was thrown overboard in an effort to free her from the reef. "She was valued at $125,000 and insured for $40,000."

Aug. 6, 1890

Trenton (NJ) Times

Five Were Drowned: Returning to the schooner J.P. Macheca on a small sailboat, Capt. Charles Rawley and six others were drowned when a storm capsized their boat. Two others aboard the boat were able to swim to shore. Rawley's body was recovered and buried at Livingston, Guatemala. The other bodies were not found. The news of Rawley's death was brought to New Orleans by the steamship City of Dallas.

Aug. 14, 1890

Waukesha (WI) Daily Freeman

Five Drowned: Same story as above.

Dec. 3, 1890

New York Times, p. 5

The Honduras Rebellion: Steamship Stillwater carries news of revolt in Spanish Honduras to New Orleans.

Aug. 26, 1891

New York Times, p. 4

The Steamship Franklin Lost: Franklin is wrecked off coast of Nicaragua while en route to New Orleans with fruit cargo. First trip to New Orleans after spending "some time" running between New York City and Bluefields, Nicaragua.

Oct. 16, 1895

New York Times, p. 2

Nine Lost with the Freddie M.: Steamship Stillwater brings to new Orleans news of the loss of the steamship Freddie M. on a fruit/mail/passenger run to Belize.

April 26, 1896

Frederick (MD) News, p. 1

All Were Saved but Three: Steamship Foxhall brings to New Orleans the news of the wreck of the steamer City of Dallas of the Royal Mail line. City of Dallas went down 80 miles from port of Colon on April 10. Lost: Thomas Smith, oiler; Charles Valondeff, coal passer; Warren Jackson, steward.

Aug. 22, 1896

New York Times, p. 1

American Citizens Arrested: Americans involved in railroad construction are charged in Ponte Barrios, Guatemala, of smuggling in munitions of war. Contraband was said to have been shipped from Cincinnati over Louisville and Nashville Railroad and then from New Orleans on Macheca Line steamers. 82,000 cartridges and other ammunition found within 12 bales of hay within the last consignment.

June 17, 1898

Atlanta Constitution

Fleet Moves on to Cuba: List of transport ships bound for Cuba includes New Orleans-Belize Royal Breakwater, 1065 tons; New Orleans-Belize Royal Stillwater, 1019 tons.

Nov. 20, 1900

New York Times, ad, p. 12

Bonds sold for construction of Costa Rica railway. United Fruit Company consolidates Boston Fruit Co., Banes Fruit Co. of Cuba, Minor C. Keith Cos. and New Orleans Belize Royal Mail and Central American Steamship Co., Ltd.

Nov. 12, 1915

Washington Post

The Legal Record - United States Supreme Court: New Orleans Belize Royal Mail and Central American Steamship Company, Limited, appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Nov. 30, 1915

Washington Post

The Legal Record: Previous judgement affirmed. Opinion in case written by Justice Holmes. Justice McReynolds did not participate in discussion or judgement.